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Six years ago, President Obamas 21st Century Policing Task Force wrote a report detailing the necessary components of police reform. Since then, preventive methods like body cameras have been implemented to hold officers accountable. However, even with these changes, last summers protests made it clear there is still a need for wide-spread reform inpolicing.

Public safety, quite frankly, is not just law enforcement. Its not safe if there is lead in the water pipes. Its not safe if people dont have housing. Its not safe if there arent employment opportunities. Dr. CedricAlexander

Dr. Cedric Alexanderwas a member of President Obamas Task Force on 21st Century Policing. He recently wrote an op-ed titled Which side are you on? The question every police officer must answer. He says the findings from Obamas Policing Task Force are just as pertinent today as they were six years ago.We have a lot to be concerned about. Progress has been made, we would like to think. But yet, still, when we look and see many of the events that are going on today it still brings about a great amount of concern for us aboutpolicing.

Alexander says any police reform, which could have resulted from that report, was not followed through by the following administration.The (Trump) administration had an opportunity to hold up that report You had a previous attorney general, Jeff Sessions, who pretty much threw that report in the garbagecan.

Many advocatesfor police reform have called to defund the police, but Alexander says he doesnt necessarily agree with this sentiment. I do not think that police departments need to be defunded. What police departments need to be is reimagined, reorganized . Police cannot do it by themselves. We need to decide what policing needs to look like in the 21stcentury.

Alexander saysfunding community resources should also be considered crime prevention, not just the police. Public safety, quite frankly, is not just law enforcement. Its not safe if there is lead in the water pipes. Its not safe if people dont have housing. Its not safe if there arent employmentopportunities.

Web story written by NoraRhein

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Obama's 21st Century Policing Task Force Turned In A Critical Report Six Years Ago. Has Anything Changed Since Then? - WDET